Monday 21 June 2010

We Vill Make It: Spain 2-0 Honduras 21/6/10


Spain line-up:Casillas (c), Pique, Puyol, Villa, Xavi (Fabregas, 66'), Torres (Mata, 70'), Capdevila, Alonso, Ramos (Arbeloa, 77'), Busquets, Navas
Honduras line-up: Valladares, Chavez, Figueroa, W.Palacios, Suazo (J.Palacios, 84'), Espinoza (Welcome, HT), Martinez, Turcios (Nunez, 63'), Guevara (c), Izaguirre, Mendoza

A very much one-sided affair with Spain announcing their arrival in the World Cup but the score really should have been much more. Spain were on the front foot from the bar, with a stinging effort from Villa smashing the bar with just six minutes on the clock. Spain made the pitch very wide and Honduras just couldn't deal with the pace and crossing accuracy of Villa and Navas and a goal was coming. Seventeen minutes played a Villa produced the individual goal of the tournament; cutting inside two defenders into the box and looked to have lost sight of goal before wrapping his foot around the ball, sending into the top corner. Torres should have made two and then three but he wasted two glorious efforts, which he blazed over the bar. Honduras' only attack of the half came in the last minute, in the form of a corner but that was very much wasted.

The second half started as the first as Spain looked to double their advantage. It came just six minutes into the half with fabulous build-up play which Navas pulled back to Villa on the edge of the box who, thanks to a slight deflection, put Spain 2-0 up. Villa had a great chance to grab his hat-trick but he managed to miss from the penalty spot as he placed it wide of the post. Spain really could have had six or seven but they just were potent enough up front, surprisingly. The ITV commentator put it nicely 'Spain's build-up play is lovely but not lethal' which was quite right. Honduras had a couple of attacks at the end but Welcome nor Suazo could come close to scoring and Spain now go second ahead of Switzerland. If Spain win against Chile, they're through but could ultimately face Brazil in the next round if they don't top the group.


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